On 24 March 2026, it was announced that Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been sold for 1.78 billion (₹16,660 crore) to a four-party consortium — Aditya Birla Group, Times of India Group, Davi Blitzer’s Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone’s perpetual private equity strategy BXPE. The deal closed after a long bidding war, taking weeks, for the defending IPL and WPL champions.
RCB Owners: From Vijay Mallya to Diageo
RCB was originally acquired by Vijay Mallya’s United Breweries Group in 2008 for $111.6 million. It was the second most expensive franchise at the inaugural auction held by BCCI.
RCB was operated through the UBG’s subsidiary group, United Spirits Limited, which was later acquired by a British Multinational Company, Diageo, as a major stakeholder in 2013.
When Mallya resigned from USL as the chairman, Diageo took full operational and management control of the franchise.
As an alcohol and beverage business, Diageo viewed cricket as non-core. Hence, in November 2025, Diageo told SEBI, India’s market regulator, that it was looking to sell RCB through USL.
Four-Party Global Consortium Lands in Bengaluru
The acquiring consortium is deliberately diverse, including an Indian industrial conglomerate, an Indian media giant, a prominent global sports investor, and the world’s largest alternative asset manager.
The Aditya Birla Group is leading the purchase. Times of India Group, which owns the cricket platform Cricbuzz and has investments in MLC and London Spirit, is joining as the media partner. Bolt Ventures is the family office of billionaire David Blitzer, a sports investor with stakes in Crystal Palace, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Washington Commanders, the New Jersey Devils, the Cleveland Guardians, and Real Salt Lake. Blackstone is also part of the deal, investing through its long-term private equity fund, BXPE.
Aryaman Vikram Birla is going to serve as the chairman of the franchise. He played as a batter for Madhya Pradesh and was part of the Rajasthan Royals squad. The Vice-chairman position will be held by Satyan Gajwani of Times of India Group.
Why $1.78 Billion Is a New Benchmark for IPL Valuations
To better understand the valuation, the $1.78 billion paid for RCB is more than the $1.69 billion the BCCI received in 2021 when it sold the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises combined. Before this deal, the most expensive single franchise sale was the Rajasthan Royals, which was bought for $1.63 billion by a US-based group led by Kal Somani, which included investors from the Walmart and Ford Motor families.
A few things explain why IPL teams are worth so much now. TV rights crossed $6 billion in the last auction, more than double what they were before. More people are watching cricket globally, which has pushed team revenues up. And the BCCI splits a portion of that money across all franchises, so every team has a reliable income base regardless of how they perform on the field.
RCB itself reported $56 million in revenue for 2024–25, a 73% jump over the preceding three years.
SUGGESTED READ: IPL 2026: RCB to Host 5 Matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, 2 in Raipur
The Bidding War: Who Else Came Close
Before the Birla-led group won the bid, at least eight parties had been shortlisted. Among them, reportedly, were private equity firms KKR and Blackstone, Indian businessmen Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India and Ranjan Pai of Manipal Education and Medical Group, and Manchester United co-chairman Avram Glazer.
It was also reported in February 2026 that David Blitzer was looking to buy a majority stake in an IPL franchise.
The Deal that Covers Both Defending Champions
The deal covers 100% of Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited, the USL subsidiary that runs both the men’s and women’s teams. The men’s team won their first IPL title in 2025, after 17 years in the competition, with Virat Kohli playing a key role. The women’s team are also the current Women’s Premier League champions.
USL’s outgoing MD and CEO, Praveen Someshwar, called RCB the most prominent and commercially successful franchise in both the IPL and WPL, citing its Play Bold philosophy and globally recognised brand as key assets handed over to the new owners.
What Happens Next: Regulatory Clearance Required
The deal is not fully done yet. Two things need to happen first: the BCCI has to approve the new owners, and so does the Competition Commission of India. Once both give the green light, the consortium formally takes over.
Until then, RCB plays as normal. IPL 2026 starts March 22, and RCB’s first game is March 28. The current setup stays in place until the paperwork clears.
For more Cricket updates, follow Jeetwin Sports.
